NEW YORK CITY— Bend the Arc, on behalf of millions of American Jews who support comprehensive immigration reform, condemned remarks from House Speaker John Boehner yesterday that slammed the door shut on comprehensive immigration reform this year, once considered a bipartisan priority.

“It is both irresponsible and wrong for John Boehner to categorically refuse to negotiate with the Senate on a comprehensive immigration reform bill,” said Hadar Susskind, Director of Bend the Arc Jewish Action. “This is an effort that American Jews and other people of faith see as imperative to fulfilling America’s promise and getting our economy on a sound footing for the future. It is also clear that many of Speaker Boehner’s own supporters agree. It would be hard to drive people’s opinions of Congress any lower, but this political posturing just might do it.”

Throughout the summer and fall, Bend the Arc organized America’s Jewish community around the issue of immigration, arranging meetings between Jewish leaders and congressional staff, hosting immigration-themed Shabbats, organizing petitions, and participating in marches, vigils, and town halls to deliver the message that immigration reform is a top priority for Jewish voters. Bend the Arc’s rabbi in residence was arrested at a national demonstration for immigration reform alongside members of Congress and during an act of civil disobedience on the National Mall.

Bend the Arc also created a dedicated, interactive immigration website, Entrydenied.org, which taps into the shared experience of many Americans by placing a user’s family history into the dysfunction of the current immigration system. Of the more than 36,000 people who have used the site, 96 percent found that their ancestors would not have been allowed into the country under the current immigration system. The website received national attention, was widely shared through social media, and earned the acclaim of influencers including EJ Dionne and John Podesta